Device for placement of nipples and similar devices upon bottles



W. H. ROSE May 16, 1939.

DEVICE FOR PLACEMENT OF NIPPLES AND SIMILAR DEVICES UPON BOTTLES Filed Nov. 11, 1937 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR PLACEIWENT F NIPPLES AND SIMILAR DEVICES UPON BOTTLES 2 Claims.

My invention relates to the placing of nipples and similar devices upon bottles and similar containers and presents means whereby this can be accomplished with ease, rapidity and certainty.

In order that nipples may be fixedly, but removably, attached to the necks of nursing bottles and to prevent air from entering the nipple when in use, they are formed of thick, heavy resilient material, generally rubber, at their open neck portion with an annular interior shoulder to fit closely around the neck of the bottle and below the extended flange, or ring, at the top of the neck of the bottle.

As the necessity of a properly constructed nipple requires that that portion encompassing the bottle neck and opening be of restricted size when placed upon the bottle neck, that portion of the nipple is of thick material, the resiliency of which is so great that it will abut very forcibly upon the neck of the bottle in its inherent tendency to contract to its normal size.

Great difficulty is therefore experienced in passing the nipple over the extended flange of the bottle neck in order that it may make a satisfactory abutting contact with that portion of the bottle neck below its flange.

The object of my invention is a device which will accurately, easily and positively pass a nipple over the bottle neck flange and position it properly upon the bottle neck, irrespective of the thickness of the nipple and irrespective of its resilient power to prevent sufiicient stretching to accomplish this desirable result.

The construction, application and effective usefulness of the device of my invention will be evident upon a consideration of my specification and its accompanying drawing, in which similar parts are designated by similar numerals.

of my invention in its several positions during the operation of placing a nipple upon the neck of a bottle.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1 in folded position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing a modified means for attaching the fingers to the base.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of my device.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side view of a modified form of my device.

Figure 7 is a bottom view of the device of Figure 6.

Figure 1 is a vertical section showing a device The particular form of the device of my invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 comprises a rectangular wire base [0 having opposed extended portions II, H, H, I I. Revolubly attached to each extended portion II is a flexible elongated metallic finger l2, preferably resilient, the upper portion of which is bent outwardly to form a prong I3, the finger member l2 being revolubly attached to the extended element H by bending it around said extended element. It is evident that while the fingers l2 can be revolved around the extended portion ll of the base side II], it is prevented from moving longitudinally along the base II] by the shoulders M, M formed by the extension of the base.

Figures 1 and 2 show the device in operative position, while Figure 3 shows it in its flat folded position.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The device is positioned as shown in Figure 2, the nipple is placed loosely upon the top of the device, and the combination is then placed upon the bottle by passing the combination downwardly over the bottle. In this position a finger I2 is adjacent to, but not necessarily abutting upon, each side of the bottle. The device is then moved downwardly with one hand, the nipple being preferably retained upon the device by the other hand until the device has assumed the position shown in Figure 1.

The nipple shown in the drawing is one form of a device of this character generally employed and is. of rubber and. comprises the side member I 5, having a constructive exit passage I 6, through which the contents of the bottle can be withdrawn by suction through the small openings l1, IT. The lower portion of the nipple comprises a flared thickened annular collar l8, having the annular lip, or shoulder, I9 extending inwardly therefrom. From one side of the nipple the collar I8 is extended to form a tab 20, which can be grasped to facilitate the removal of the nipple from the bottle.

It will be noticed that when the device is in the position shown in Figure 1, the lower portion of the nipple is somewhat extended from its original pyramidal shape, the prongs l3, l3 rest upon the upper face of the shoulder l9, and the upper portion of the inner faces of the fingers. l2, l2 abut upon the outer face of the ring portion 2| of the neck 22 of the bottle 23.

A further downward movement of the device will carry the nipple downwardly until the shoulder I9 is below the ring portion 2| of the bottle neck 22', a further downward movement releasing the prongs l3, 13 from contact with the nipple, the resiliency of the nipple snapping the shoulder l9 beneath the bottle ring 2|, thus placing the nipple upon the bottle neck in proper position, as shown in broken lines in Figure 1. A further downward movement of the device will remove it from the bottle.

It is to be noted that as the prongs l3, l3 are in practically a horizontal plane, the nipple will be grasped uniformly upon its four sides, and that, hence, the nipple will be moved perpendicularly downwardly, thus insuring that it is positively attached to the bottle in its entire lower portion.

It will thus be seen that by a simple downward movement of the device, the nipple is easily and completely attached to the bottle neck, without danger of tearing or permanently distorting the nipple.

The modification of my device shown in Figure 4 is similar to that of Figures 1, 2 and 3, except that the base member 24 has no extended portions, the fingers I2, I2 being prevented from horizontal movement along the base by means of projections 25, 25, which are shown as rings welded to the base member, but which can be produced in any other convenient manner.

The modified form of my device shown in Figure 5 is similar to those described, except that the base 26 is formed of narrow strips of metal, to which the fingers [2, I2 are revolubly attached by means of rivets, eyelets, or otherwise as at 21, thus preventing the fingers from moving horizontally along the base, but allowing them to be positioned in a plane, as shown in the drawmg.

The modified form of my device shown in Figures 6 and '7 comprises a base formed by four narrow strips of metal 28, 28, 28, 28, hingedly attached at their extremities 29, 29, 29, 29 to form a rectangular base, each side of which carries a finger l2, riveted thereto as at 30. It will be noted that this device can be folded into fiat form through the medium of the hinges.

The application of the described modified form of my device is the same as that described for the device shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

While I have shown the device of my invention with a rectangular base, my invention is not limited to that particular form, nor are the fingers limited to the number shown and described, as these may be changed in form and number to meet particular requirements; neither do I limit myself to the particular means for attaching the fingers to the base, nor to any other essential means incident to my invention.

It will thus be seen that my invention presents a convenient, inexpensive and readily applicable means for attaching nipples and similar devices to bottles and similar containers.

What I claim is:

1. In a device adapted to place nipples upon bottle necks, in combination, a base having an opening therethrough, a plurality of revoluble extended fingers carried by said base, each of said fingers being capable of being revolved so that its longitudinal axis is approximately parallel to the plane of said base, the free ends of which are capable of being positioned to form a pyramidal figure with said base and an outwardly extended prong carried by each free end of said fingers.

2. In a device adapted to place nipples upon bottle necks, in combination, a base having an opening therethrough, a plurality of revoluble extended fin ers carried by said base, each of said fingers being capable of being revolved so that its longitudinal axis is approximately parallel to the plane of said base, the free ends of which are capable of being positioned to form a pyramidal figure with said base, means preventing horizontal movement of said fingers along said base, and an outwardly extended prong carried by each free end of said fingers.

WILLIAM H. ROSE. 

